Mahidol Wittayanusorn School
Encyclopedia
Mahidol Wittayanusorn School , also known colloquially as Mahidol Wit, Mahidol Witt or Mwit, is a secondary school
in Thailand
. Situated on the Salaya Campus of Mahidol University
in Nakhon Pathom Province
, it enrols Mathayom 4–6
students (grades 10–12), and is the first specialised science school in the country, designed to provide education for the full development of exceptionally gifted and talented students in science and mathematics. The school is unique among Thai schools in that it functions as an autonomous public organisation, and receives direct funding from the government of up to ฿100,000 per student, which means that all students are awarded a full scholarship including accommodation in the space of three years at Mahidol Wittayanusorn. Since its conception in 2000, the school has rapidly become one of the most prominent schools in Thailand, with extremely intense competition for enrolment. (20,871 students sat the school's entrance examination in 2009, while the school enrols 240 students annually.)
The school opened on 3 June 1991. Initially, classes were temporarily held at Wat Rai Khing in Sam Phran District
until the school finally settled at its current location on the Salaya Campus of Mahidol University in 1995. This initial arrangement, however, had many limitations, mostly due to the teaching system, which still depended on the national curriculum, and inflexibility due to organisation structure as a governmental agency, and the school saw relatively little growth during the first ten years.
In 1999, government policy pushed for the development of science-specific schools to accommodate students talented in the scientific and mathematic fields. Mahidol Wittayanusorn School was accordingly remodeled as an autonomous public organisation under the supervision of the Minister of Education on 25 August 2000, and was designated the country's first specialised science school. The first principal of the school in this form is Dr Thongchai Chewprecha, who was the director of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology.
Under this new structure, the school came under direct authority of the Mahidol Wittayanusorn School Board, and enjoyed more flexibility as well as greater financial support from the government. The school developed its own curriculum and teaching systems, and began admitting students under this new phase in the 2001 academic year. The school then rapidly grew in fame, attracting some of the brightest students from all over the country, not least for its abundance of resources. The number of students competing for admission increased from 8,501 in 2001 to 17,539 in 2006.
Since the school focuses primarily on natural sciences, its laboratories possess sufficient equipment, some of which are rare to other high schools or even some universities. The school library, officially called the academic resource centre, stores a huge number of books. Together with an unlimited internet supply, adequate quality computers and available lap-tops for all to borrow, the school allows students to enhance their knowledge both theoretically and experimentally, including their detailed projects required for graduation. Teachers are encouraged to be functionally literate at technology such as computer and smartboard. The school also provides most classrooms with a computer and a projector ready for use.
The newly-built sport centre involves 4 badminton courts, table-tennis, squash rooms, dance floor, a fitness centre and a basketball pitch. Recently the swimming pool has been built and ready for use. The school also has another cement basketball pitch and a green standard football field, the peripheral of which is a quality running track. The school also has a first aid centre, a shop, or colloquially called the minimart, and a canteen.
As a boarding school, learning activities are extended to outside the classroom. Extra-class activities, including one student project, are specified as requirements of graduation. Although the school provides many necessary equipment, many students often request for more advanced tools or professional advice; therefore, they are given opportunities to work in universities under the supervision of professors. A certain number of social service hours, exercise hours, recommended books, lectures given weekly by guest speakers, hours of educational trips and camps attended are also necessary for graduation. During the time when Dr Thongchai Chewprecha was the principal, another criterion used to be informally added - every student must perform a Thai traditional dance in front of him in order to show their cultural awareness, affection for and pride of being a citizen of the kingdom. Students normally gather in an evening and dance happily as a whole.
The three curricula the school has made are 2002 curriculum, 2005 curriculum, and 2009 curriculum.
courses affiliated with Mahidol University.
Mahidol Wittayanusorn students have also gained international prominence in the International Science Olympiad
s. Many students are selected to be national representatives after a long period of excellent academic performance evaluated by the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, a national governmental organisation. In 2009, seven of the twenty-three national contestants were from the school.
In 2005, the school hosted the First Thailand International Science Fair in which youth from all over the world came to present their science projects. Currently, the school has made many contacts with other schools in foreign countries, and it has succeeded in establishing partnership between some other science schools. This collaboration will hopefully help it become more internationally recognised as a world-class educational institution.
The English version of the song does not exist, but it can be directly translated as follows:
We, Mahidol Wittayanusorn
Enhanced with ability and skills
Bring technology to develop the kingdom.
Scientists, we thrive in moral wisdom.
Under the yellow and blue dignity
Together we are tied with unity.
Elegantly blooms the Sri trang every morn.
And so blooms Mahidol Wittayanusorn.
Therefore, the juxtaposition of blue and yellow indicates the rational and disciplined people who always enhance their knowledge and imagination, especially in science and technology, without losing moral values. These devoted students will become the citizens who benefit their society, the country, and the world in the future.
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Situated on the Salaya Campus of Mahidol University
Mahidol University
Mahidol University is a public research university in Bangkok, Thailand. Established back in 1888 as School of Medical Practitioners, Siriraj Hospital and reorganized in 1943 as University of Medical Sciences . The university originally focused on Health Sciences but also expanded to other...
in Nakhon Pathom Province
Nakhon Pathom Province
Nakhon Pathom ) is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi...
, it enrols Mathayom 4–6
Education in Thailand
Education in Thailand is provided mainly by the Thai government through the Ministry of Education from pre-school to senior high school. A free basic education of twelve years is guaranteed by the constitution, and a minimum of nine years' school attendance is mandatory.Formal education consists of...
students (grades 10–12), and is the first specialised science school in the country, designed to provide education for the full development of exceptionally gifted and talented students in science and mathematics. The school is unique among Thai schools in that it functions as an autonomous public organisation, and receives direct funding from the government of up to ฿100,000 per student, which means that all students are awarded a full scholarship including accommodation in the space of three years at Mahidol Wittayanusorn. Since its conception in 2000, the school has rapidly become one of the most prominent schools in Thailand, with extremely intense competition for enrolment. (20,871 students sat the school's entrance examination in 2009, while the school enrols 240 students annually.)
History
Mahidol Wittayanusorn School was founded with the purpose of promoting science and mathematics education in the Thai school system, due to concerns regarding Thailand's lack of human resources specialised in science and technology. The school was established on 28 August 1990 with cooperation between Mahidol University, which was already recognised for its science studies and would provide academic support, and the Department of General Education of the Ministry of Education, which would be the school's governing authority.The school opened on 3 June 1991. Initially, classes were temporarily held at Wat Rai Khing in Sam Phran District
Amphoe Sam Phran
Sam Phran , is the southernmost district of Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand.-History:The district was established in 1896, then named Talat Mai district...
until the school finally settled at its current location on the Salaya Campus of Mahidol University in 1995. This initial arrangement, however, had many limitations, mostly due to the teaching system, which still depended on the national curriculum, and inflexibility due to organisation structure as a governmental agency, and the school saw relatively little growth during the first ten years.
In 1999, government policy pushed for the development of science-specific schools to accommodate students talented in the scientific and mathematic fields. Mahidol Wittayanusorn School was accordingly remodeled as an autonomous public organisation under the supervision of the Minister of Education on 25 August 2000, and was designated the country's first specialised science school. The first principal of the school in this form is Dr Thongchai Chewprecha, who was the director of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology.
Under this new structure, the school came under direct authority of the Mahidol Wittayanusorn School Board, and enjoyed more flexibility as well as greater financial support from the government. The school developed its own curriculum and teaching systems, and began admitting students under this new phase in the 2001 academic year. The school then rapidly grew in fame, attracting some of the brightest students from all over the country, not least for its abundance of resources. The number of students competing for admission increased from 8,501 in 2001 to 17,539 in 2006.
Campus and facilities
The school occupies 4 hectares on the northeastern section of Mahidol University's Salaya Campus. School facilities include the academic resource centre, astronomy virtual reality theatre, science, language, electronics and computer laboratories, industrial drawing, mechanics and ceramics workshops, and a 4-storey sports centre. The school also has a computer network system featuring 400 computer terminals, and the entire school campus is equipped with wireless network access.Since the school focuses primarily on natural sciences, its laboratories possess sufficient equipment, some of which are rare to other high schools or even some universities. The school library, officially called the academic resource centre, stores a huge number of books. Together with an unlimited internet supply, adequate quality computers and available lap-tops for all to borrow, the school allows students to enhance their knowledge both theoretically and experimentally, including their detailed projects required for graduation. Teachers are encouraged to be functionally literate at technology such as computer and smartboard. The school also provides most classrooms with a computer and a projector ready for use.
The newly-built sport centre involves 4 badminton courts, table-tennis, squash rooms, dance floor, a fitness centre and a basketball pitch. Recently the swimming pool has been built and ready for use. The school also has another cement basketball pitch and a green standard football field, the peripheral of which is a quality running track. The school also has a first aid centre, a shop, or colloquially called the minimart, and a canteen.
Vision
Mahidol Wittayanusorn School endeavors to provide world class education at the upper secondary level (Grade 10 – 12) for exceptionally gifted students in mathematics, science, and technology, so that they will have the essential qualities to become active lifetime learners, researchers and innovators. It is also the purpose of the school to induce in each student good health as well as the inspiration of good moral and ethical values. Being proud of their Thai identity, the students will be dedicated to national development and environmental protection while at the same time having positive attitudes towards others both in Thailand and the world at large.
Curriculum
Mahidol Wittayanusorn School develops its own curriculum based on the requirements of the national Curriculum of Basic Education, and conducts revisions triennially. Each curriculum is constructed based on the school's duty to nurture the talented students and suggestions from students, parents, teachers, school counselors and others involved.As a boarding school, learning activities are extended to outside the classroom. Extra-class activities, including one student project, are specified as requirements of graduation. Although the school provides many necessary equipment, many students often request for more advanced tools or professional advice; therefore, they are given opportunities to work in universities under the supervision of professors. A certain number of social service hours, exercise hours, recommended books, lectures given weekly by guest speakers, hours of educational trips and camps attended are also necessary for graduation. During the time when Dr Thongchai Chewprecha was the principal, another criterion used to be informally added - every student must perform a Thai traditional dance in front of him in order to show their cultural awareness, affection for and pride of being a citizen of the kingdom. Students normally gather in an evening and dance happily as a whole.
The three curricula the school has made are 2002 curriculum, 2005 curriculum, and 2009 curriculum.
2005 Curriculum
As of the 2005 curriculum, students are offered a customised curriculum including 113 courses, 13 of which are advanced placementAdvanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
courses affiliated with Mahidol University.
Academics
Under the new school structure, Mahidol Wittayanusorn graduates have had a university entry rate of 100 percent. Mathayom 6 students averaged 376.91 points in the first O-NET examinations in the 2005 academic year, the country's highest. Additionally, a significant amount of graduates (9.2% in the 2004 academic year) have been awarded scholarships to continue their education abroad. Students here are very well prepared for university life, provided that many students have scored the highest in Advanced Placement Programmes amongst other freshmen in Mahidol University.Mahidol Wittayanusorn students have also gained international prominence in the International Science Olympiad
International Science Olympiad
The International Science Olympiads are a group of worldwide annual competitions in various areas of science. The competitions are designed for the 4-6 best high school students from each participating country selected through internal National Science Olympiads, with the exception of the IOL,...
s. Many students are selected to be national representatives after a long period of excellent academic performance evaluated by the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, a national governmental organisation. In 2009, seven of the twenty-three national contestants were from the school.
In 2005, the school hosted the First Thailand International Science Fair in which youth from all over the world came to present their science projects. Currently, the school has made many contacts with other schools in foreign countries, and it has succeeded in establishing partnership between some other science schools. This collaboration will hopefully help it become more internationally recognised as a world-class educational institution.
March Mahidol
March Mahidol is the school song.
พวกเรามหิดลวิทยานุสรณ์ บุคลากรผู้มีความสามารถ
นำเทคโนโลยีมาพัฒนาชนในชาติ เป็นนักวิทยาศาสตร์เพียบพร้อมคุณธรรม
ใต้ร่มธงน้ำเงินเหลืองเฟื่องศักดิ์ศรี ความสามัคคีน้ำใจไมตรีดีงาม
ดอกศรีตรังนั้นบานสะพรั่งทั่วเขตคาม งามสมนามมหิดลวิทยานุสรณ์
The English version of the song does not exist, but it can be directly translated as follows:
We, Mahidol Wittayanusorn
Enhanced with ability and skills
Bring technology to develop the kingdom.
Scientists, we thrive in moral wisdom.
Under the yellow and blue dignity
Together we are tied with unity.
Elegantly blooms the Sri trang every morn.
And so blooms Mahidol Wittayanusorn.
Colour
The colours of the school are blue and yellow. Blue symbolises the king as used in the national flag. It is also referred to as strength, stability and discipline. Yellow symbolises scientists, rational imagination, sincerity, impartiality and morality.Therefore, the juxtaposition of blue and yellow indicates the rational and disciplined people who always enhance their knowledge and imagination, especially in science and technology, without losing moral values. These devoted students will become the citizens who benefit their society, the country, and the world in the future.
External links
- Official website, English version
- http://www.mahidolwitt.com/